Government funding extended to vaccinate NSW students from meningococcal

A free meningococcal vaccine will continue to be available to students in New South Wales as the government launches its awareness campaign this week.

Today, Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a further $3.6 million for the NSW Meningococcal W Response Program, which has provided free vaccines to more than 200,000 teenagers so far.

“We’re urging parents of Year 10 and 11 students to take advantage of the free vaccine in the next two terms to give them long-term protection against four strains of this potentially fatal disease,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The Commonwealth Government’s National Immunisation Program does not currently fund vaccines for the ACW and Y strains of meningococcal but the NSW Government is investing a record $22.5 million in state-wide immunisation programs this year.

This includes $3.5 million for free flu shots to children up to five years of age and $1.75 million for a meningococcal and influenza campaign.

Meningococcal W cases in NSW increased four-fold between 2014 and 2016 – but this trend was reversed after the free vaccination program was introduced last year.

“This vaccine has the added benefit of protection against the A, C and Y strains, which don’t occur as frequently but have equally devastating consequences,” Health Minister Brad Hazzard said.

The free meningococcal vaccine program has immunised 200,000 children so far. Image: 9News ()